Finding healthy recipes to use when you have diabetes can be difficult. This is because these recipes aim to control the blood sugar level in your body. Besides, it is equally important to incorporate healthy recipes that prevent the complications that come with diabetes.
These complications include heart disease. Below is a list of twelve healthy recipes that you can use to help you reverse the effects of type 2 diabetes.
Healthy Recipes That Help Reverse Type 2 Diabetes
1. Crustless Strawberry pie
This pie has low curbs and is perfect for your dessert menu. You require three cups of fresh strawberries cut in half, one small package of sugar-free vanilla pudding mix to cook and serve, one large package of sugar-free gelatin with strawberry flavor, two cups of water, and one cup of thawed sugar-free whipped topping frozen.
To prepare the pie, place all the strawberries on a dish pie plate that is nine inches deep. Combine the water, gelatin, and pudding in a medium saucepan. Stir the mixture as you boil it over medium-high heat for ten minutes.
You can then pour the strawberries over the mixture and refrigerate for about four or six hours until the mixture is firm. Top the pie with the whipped topping dollops and serve.
This is one of the healthy recipes that help to reverse diabetics because the strawberries contain antioxidants called anthocyanins that reduce insulin levels and cholesterol. They also improve heart disease and blood sugar risk factors in type 2 diabetes.
2. Anything Broccoli Salad
As the name suggests, you can have this anytime since it only takes ten minutes to prepare. You will need a quarter cup of low-fat mayonnaise, non-fat Greek yogurt, raisins, roasted sunflower seeds, and diced white cheddar cheese each.
You will also need two tablespoons of honey, two teaspoons of lemon juice, four cups of broccoli florets, one cup of shredded carrot, one red bell pepper cut into half an inch chunks, and one scallion sliced.
Mix the combination of yogurt, honey, mayonnaise, and lemon juice in one bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixture and toss until they are evenly coated.
Broccoli is very nutritious since one cup contains three grams of digestible carbs, twenty-seven calories, magnesium, and vitamin C. It also aids in lowering insulin levels and preventing the body cells from harmful radicals.
3. Golden Topped Salmon
This is one of the recipes that will make you fall in love with fish. Your ingredients will include five ounces of four salmon filets each, one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and freshly chopped dill each, two tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese, half a teaspoon of garlic powder, a quarter teaspoon of pepper, and a third a cup of light mayonnaise.
Preheat your broiler and use a nonstick cooking spray to coat your broiler pan. Put the salmon steaks in your pan. In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and mix properly.
Pour this mixture on the steaks on the pan evenly. Broil your salmon for ten minutes so that it can flake easily. Serve after it is done.
Fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA which are significant for heart health, a risk factor in people with diabetes. The EPA and DHA also help to protect the cells that line the blood vessels, and in turn, they reduce inflammation and improve the function of the arteries after eating.
4. Acorn Squash Soup
The ingredients that you need include one bay leaf, four cloves of minced garlic, a quarter chopped onion, one acorn squash, one tablespoon of olive oil and smoked paprika, two tablespoons of cranberry jelly and chopped celery, a half cup of plain Greek yogurt, and one and a quarter quart of low sodium vegetable broth.
You will also need cilantro, pomegranate arils, lime juice, paprika, and yogurt to garnish your soup.
Start by cooking the onion, bay leaf, celery, and garlic in olive oil for five minutes over medium heat in a stockpot. Add the stock and the squash and simmer for fifteen minutes until cooked. Swirl in the yogurt and remove the food from the heat.
Use a blender to puree the soup until it is smooth, and add the cranberry jelly. You can add the garnish and enjoy your soup.
Squash is rich in antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin, protecting against muscle degeneration and cataracts. Squash extract also reduces insulin levels and obesity thus decreasing the blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
5. Flaxseed Smoothie
The ingredients that you need for this recipe include two tablespoons of flaxseeds, one cup of flavored soya milk, and one cup of chilled and chopped strawberries. You will also require half a cup of chilled and chopped bananas, two tablespoons of honey, and two strawberries and banana slices for garnish.
Add the flaxseeds, bananas, strawberries, and honey in the soya milk and blend in your juicer until the mixture becomes smooth and has frothed. Pour the mixture in a glass and add the banana slices and the strawberries to garnish.
This is another one of the healthy recipes that have significant benefits for people with type 2 diabetes. The insoluble fiber in flaxseed has lignans that reduce the risk of heart disease and improve blood sugar control.
The high fiber properties in flaxseed also improve insulin sensitivity and gut health.
6. Yogurt Toast With Honey and Red Berries
This is a combination that can be perfect for starting the day. Your ingredients will include five hundred grams of strawberries, one cup of naturally sweetened yogurt, and two tablespoons of honey.
Wash the strawberries keenly and defoliate them. Place the berries in a container, add the yogurt and honey, and mix properly. Crush the mixture and put in in a jar to store it in your freezer.
Enjoy your yogurt when you have a creamy ice cream craving.
Greek yogurt contains probiotics that help to control blood sugar and reduce the risk of heart disease. It also aids in weight reduction due to the protein, calcium, and conjugated linoleic acid it contains.
7. Hot and Spicy Nuts
This is one of the recipes that are good for diabetics if they are craving a quick, nutritious snack. The ingredients consist of half a cup of whole almonds, pecan halves, and walnut halves each. You will also need half a teaspoon of cumin and curry powder.
Other ingredients include one teaspoon of canola oil, a dash of white pepper, and an eighth of cayenne pepper. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees as you place all the nuts and the oil in a large bowl. Combine the spices in another small bowl and then add them to the nuts.
Stir the mixture until the nuts are covered evenly. Place the nuts on the baking tray in a single layer and bake for ten minutes. Let them cool before you serve.
Nuts are nutritious, low in digestible carbs, and contain fiber. Hence, regular consumption of this delicacy reduces inflammation and blood sugar. It also helps to lose weight in people with type 2 diabetes.
8. Chia Seeds Pudding
This is a simple snack made by soaking the chia seeds in milk until the consistency changes to one similar to a pudding.
The high fiber content in chia seeds makes it perfect for people with diabetes. It is also low in digestible cards making it ideal for reducing blood sugar levels. Besides, the fiber aids in weight loss because it will make you feel full and it can reduce the number of calories your body absorbs.
9. Shirataki Macaroni and Cheese
You only need one package of the Shirataki noodles, olive oil, one tablespoon of butter, a half teaspoon of sea salt, and three ounces of grated cheddar cheese. Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.
Rinse the noodles for two minutes and cover them in a skillet over medium-high heat for ten minutes while you stir. Also, grease a ramekin with butter or olive oil and transfer the cooked noodles on it. Add the remaining ingredients, mix and bake for twenty minutes before you remove and serve.
These noodles make healthy recipes for diabetes and controlling weight because of their high fiber content. The fiber lowers the levels of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, and you feel full and satisfied. Also, the noodles reduce blood sugar levels in the body and improve the risk factors that lead to heart disease in people with diabetes.
10. Egg Muffins
Mix your eggs with vegetables such as kale and broccoli that are finely chopped. Place the mixture in a muffin tin and bake. You will have your egg muffin snack in no time.
By consuming eggs regularly, you will be reducing the risk of heart disease in several ways. Eggs reduce inflammation, increase good cholesterol levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and modify the shape and size of bad cholesterol in your body.
11. Black Bean Salad
This is one of the recipes that are easy to make. Just cook your beans and combine them with your choice of vegetables such as onions or peppers that are finely chopped. You can then toss them in vinaigrette dressing to taste.
All types of beans contain soluble fiber that reduces high blood sugar. Their rich protein content makes them a viable alternative to meat in your dishes.
12. Baked Sweet Potato Side
Take half a sweet potato and bake it. Flavor the potato with chipotle pepper to make it spicy and sweet. You can also roll your baked potatoes in chopped seeds and nuts such as pecans, hemp seeds, walnuts, and cinnamon.
Sweet potatoes are filled with disease-fighting fiber and nutrients that lower cholesterol and slows digestion in the body. They also contain carotenoids and yellow pigment that respond well to insulin. The chlorogenic acid in the plant also helps to reduce insulin sensitivity.
Final Thoughts on Recipes for Better Health
If your diabetes is uncontrolled, it increases the risk of getting other serious illnesses. However, these healthy recipes will maintain your blood sugar, inflammation, and insulin levels that in turn will reduce the occurrence of such complications.
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